Meseches Sukkah 11b

ענני הכבוד היו, דברי רבי אליעזר. רבי עקיבא אומר: סוכות ממש עשו להם

The Gemara in Sukkos 11b says that there is a Machlokes between Rebbe Eliezer and Rebbe Akiva as to what are the "Sukkos" the Torah is referring to. Rebbe Eliezer says it is referring to the Ananei Hakovod, and Rebbe Akiva said it is referring to actual huts in which Klal Yisroel sat in the Midbar. The question which begs an answer is, according to Rebbe Akiva, why do we have a Zecher for the huts that Klal Yisroel sat in while they travelled? All travelers live in those types of huts. Additionally, certainly Rebbe Akiva also agrees that Klal Yisroel were Zoche to have the Ananei Hakovod in the Midbar - thus, why does he say that the Zecher is the actual huts and not the Ananei Hakovod? One needs to consider where Klal Yisroel obtained the actual huts? From where were they able to get wood and Schach to make those huts - as we know they were in the Midbar, a desolate place? The following Divrei Torah will expound on this topic and support the P'shat offered in the closing paragraph.